Body of Liam Farrell to be exhumed for new post-mortem

Gardaí are expected to exhume the body of Leitrim man Liam Farrell today as part of a renewed investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death in 2020.

It is understood a forensic post-mortem will be conducted, supported by a forensic anthropologist, before Mr Farrell’s remains are reinterred.

Since the 87-year-old retired farmer died on 12 January 2020, his family have searched for answers about the circumstances surrounding their father’s death.

An inquest into the death of Mr Farrell returned an open verdict.

A review into the original investigation was established by Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly last October.

The Garda Commissioner appointed the Serious Crime Review Tea,m led by Detective Superintendent Des McTiernan, who begun an investigation.

Mr Farrell's bruised and bloodied body was found in an unresponsive state by his family at the rear of his home in the village of Rooskey, Co Leitrim, on 12 January 2020.

A son of Liam Farrell, Brendan Farrell, told RTÉ News that if the next few days provides further insight into their father’s death, they will see that as "a very positive step".

"If it gives a better insight into what happened our father that weekend, we will see that certainly as a very positive step in the right direction in what is a live investigation now that the Serious crime Review Team are carrying out," he said.

"We are most thankful to the Serious Crimes Review Team for their ongoing work in this live investigation into our father’s death."

He said that as one could imagine, it is a very difficult time for the Farrell family.

He also remarked that there was a lost opportunity when his father did not receive "a proper forensic examination" when he was found on 12 January 2020.

Mr Farrell lived alone and, as was his routine, he went to two pubs in his local village on the night of Saturday, 11 January 2020.

He left home before 9pm and completed a 10-minute walk to Reynold's Pub and met some locals. After leaving about 10.30pm, he went to the Weir Lodge where he met a close friend.

He left the Weir Lodge at about 12.15am, crossed to the riverside, facing the traffic, where it is estimated he arrived home ten minutes later.

The following afternoon, after 3pm, he was discovered in an unresponsive state by his family at the rear of his home.

He was covered in blood, had bruising to his left eye and his feet, his shoes and socks had been removed and his watch was broken.

Mr Farrell was subsequently pronounced dead that evening after he had been removed by ambulance to hospital.

When gardaí arrived at the house, they sealed it off, a cordon was put up and a forensic team gathered evidence.

At the time, gardaí submitted a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions. No prosecution was directed.

A post-mortem examination concluded Mr Farrell died as a result of a heart attack.

The pathologist who conducted the autopsy told the inquest into Mr Farrell’s death that had he known that the body had been taken from a scene that was suspicious, he would have refused to conduct the examination and insisted a forensic pathologist be drafted in to conduct more detailed evidence-gathering.

That initial post-mortem examination was later reviewed by State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan, who said that the "pattern of injuries on the face and hands" raised some concerns and that the bruises on Liam Farrell’s hands and fingers may have been defence injuries.

She outlined two possible scenarios.

In one, Mr Farrell experienced a heart attack during which he fell and injured himself. In the other, the injuries were sustained as a result of an assault.

She added that the injuries were not inconsistent with either option.

Members of the Farrell family never accepted that Mr Farrell died solely due to a heart attack and suspect a third party was involved in his death.

Following the inquest into Mr Farrell’s death in September 2024, former garda commissioner Drew Harris appointed a senior investigating officer to carry out a peer review of the original investigation.

Following that review, and a subsequent special Prime Time report on the case in September 2025, the Farrell family met with Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan.

A short time later, Commissioner Kelly informed them that the Serious Crime Review Team would re-examine the case.

Last month, Det Supt McTiernan appealed on Crimecall for any information that could help shed light on Mr Farrell’s final hours.

Det Supt McTiernan spoke of Mr Farrell as someone who was a beloved and popular figure in his community and said gardaí are trying to establish with clarity the circumstances surrounding his death.

He appealed to anyone who was socialising in Rooskey, who may have seen Mr Farrell walk home that night, or who may have any information pertinent to the case.

Last month, RTÉ's Prime Time reported that Minister O'Callaghan had authorised the exhumation of Mr Farrell's remains for a forensic post-mortem.

"We would still like to appeal to the public for anybody that may have information surrounding the weekend of my father’s death which was the 12 January 2020, to please come forward to the serious crime review team," Brendan Farrell said ahead of the exhumation.

"No matter, how big or small [that information may be], it may be very useful to the investigators."